{"id":616249,"date":"2025-07-08T11:33:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T18:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=616249"},"modified":"2025-07-08T11:33:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T18:33:13","slug":"the-best-american-mens-water-polo-players-of-the-ncaa-era-part-iii-no-1-to-no-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/the-best-american-mens-water-polo-players-of-the-ncaa-era-part-iii-no-1-to-no-10\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best American Men\u2019s Water Polo Players of the NCAA Era (Part III: No. 1 to No. 10)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Best American Men\u2019s Water Polo Players of the NCAA Era (Part III: No. 1 to No. 10)<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Jeff Moulton<\/p>\n

In the third and final installment of this three-part series, water polo expert Jeff Moulton discusses the individuals he has ranked No. 1 to 10 in his unofficial list of the top-25 American men\u2019s water polo players of the NCAA era. Parts I and II are linked below, with Part I including an explanation of the criteria used by Moulton to make his selections.<\/p>\n

Part I<\/a>
\nPart II<\/a><\/p>\n

10. John Gansel<\/strong> \u2013 goalie, Foothill Hill High School and Stanford (2x NCAA champion, 4x 1st<\/sup> team All-American).<\/p>\n

Gansel, the only 4x 1st<\/sup> team All-American goalie, is America\u2019s greatest collegiate goalie and had an outstanding high school career at Foothill.\u00a0 As former El Toro High School coach Don Stoll told the L.A. Times, \u201cIf you talk to old-timers, they say Gansel did stuff that no one has done since.\u201d\u00a0 Gansel graduated from Stanford in 1981.\u00a0 He played in the 1982 World Championships and on three World University Games teams, including the 1979 team that won the gold medal (the first gold medal the United States won during water polo\u2019s modern era) and the 1981 team that won the silver medal.\u00a0 Gansel didn\u2019t play in the Olympics.\u00a0 He started medical school in 1982 and, as he said, \u201cmy polo career ran out of time.\u201d\u00a0 Dante Dettamanti, Gansel\u2019s coach at Stanford, speaking about Gansel:\u00a0 \u201cI have been a part of water polo in this country for the last 57 years at all levels, including the USA National team.\u00a0 Not only is John Gansel the best goalie that I have ever coached, he is the best goalkeeper that I have seen play in this country.\u00a0 It was too bad he never had a chance to play on the USA Olympic team.\u00a0 The timing just wasn\u2019t right for him with the 1980 Olympic boycott, with almost every USA player returning for 1984 after the boycott, along with 1984 and 1988 conflicts with medical school and internship and residency training as a doctor.\u201d\u00a0 Dettamanti describing Gansel\u2019s time at Stanford:\u00a0 \u201cGansel was a virtual wall in the goal, allowing very few balls to get past him, even in practice.\u00a0 He was critical to Stanford\u2019s counterattack game, making the block and then making the perfect full-court pass to breakaway players in the 30-meter course used in those days.\u00a0 He was a natural in the goal, at 6\u20193\u201d, with great legs, long arms and uncanny quickness.\u00a0 He was also an excellent swimmer (21+ 50 freestyle in high school).\u00a0 In his senior year, 1980, Stanford held opponents to an average of 4.4 goals per game, the only time in school history that opponents have been held under a 5 goals-per-game average for the whole season.\u00a0 Stanford has had several 4-time All-Americans since 1969, but only 2 Stanford players have been 4-time First Team All-Americans, John Gansel and Tony Azevedo.\u00a0 In my opinion, the top goalie and top field player in USA water polo history.\u201d\u00a0 More from Dettamanti:\u00a0 \u201cIn the 1979 World University Games in Mexico City, playing against the complete Yugoslavian and Russian national teams that were preparing for the 1980 Olympics, we won the gold medal with Gansel in the goal, limiting Yugoslavia and Russia to 5 and 6 goals in the semifinals and finals.\u00a0 Those teams placed first and second in the Moscow Olympics.\u00a0 In the 1981 World University Games, again with full national teams from other countries, we had to beat Russia to advance to the final game.\u00a0 We were leading by one goal with one second left in the game when a European referee called a penalty shot against the USA.\u00a0 Gansel blocked the penalty shot to preserve the victory.\u201d\u00a0 Jody Campbell, a member of the Water Polo Hall of Fame, discussing what it was like to play with Gansel at Stanford:\u00a0 \u201cWe could take chances and \u2018cheat\u2019 to offense because we had Gansel.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen and played with some of the best goalies in the world.\u00a0 In my opinion, Gansel is the best.\u00a0 Other goalies have great reaction, anticipation, and initial leg strength.\u00a0 However, since Gansel, I have not seen the sustained leg strength he had to maintain a vertical position after multiple fakes or cross-court passes.\u00a0 Goalies these days may have a great initial thrust and good reactions, but they quickly lose their legs if they have to sustain their position.\u00a0 Gansel never lost his legs.\u201d\u00a0 Craig Boyer, a \u00a0teammate of Craig Wilson at UCSB and on the 1988 Olympic team, discussing Wilson and Gansel:\u00a0 \u201cCraig Wilson and John Gansel were two of the best goalies in the world.\u00a0 I would give the slight edge to Wilson, who had a longer wingspan.\u00a0 Gansel saw the writing on the wall that Wilson was going to be the starting goalie on the national team.\u00a0 He made the right decision and retired from sports to go to medical school.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Kevin Robertson<\/strong> \u2013 5\u20199\u201d LH attacker, Newport Harbor High School and Cal (1x NCAA Champion, 4x 1st<\/sup> team All-American, 1x NCAA Player of the Year, 3x Olympian, 2x silver medalist, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Robertson is generally considered to be the greatest American left-handed attacker of the NCAA era.\u00a0 Robertson and Terry Schroeder led the United States in scoring in the 1984 Olympics, each scoring 13 goals.\u00a0 Jody Campbell, Robertson\u2019s teammate on the 1984 and 1988 Olympic teams:\u00a0 \u201cDuring his era, Robertson was one of the deadliest left-handed shooters in the world.\u00a0 His explosiveness and anticipation created may opportunities for him to score and to record assists.\u00a0 His work ethic, knowledge of the game, and speed proved that \u2018size\u2019 doesn\u2019t dictate the effectiveness of a player.\u201d\u00a0 One of Robertson\u2019s Newport Harbor High School teammates told me:\u00a0 \u201cRobertson excelled in a big man\u2019s game by taking advantage of his quickness and intelligence.\u00a0 I remember him swimming across my back, picking off his defender, and then shoving off me to create space for his shot.\u00a0 It was like the \u2018pick and roll\u2019 in basketball but spontaneous.\u00a0 I still have his handprint on my back.\u00a0 That creativity is just one of the many facets of his greatness.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. Wolf Wigo<\/strong> \u2013 attacker, Bronx Science High School in New York and Stanford (2x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 2x 1st team All-American, 1x ACWPC Player of the Year, 3x Olympian, 1x FINA World Cup champion, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Wigo scored 31 goals in the Olympics, including 16 goals in the 2000 Olympics.\u00a0 He played professionally for Ethnikos Piraeus in Greece for three years.\u00a0 Hall of Fame coach Dante Dettamanti said that Tony Azevedo, John Gansel, Jody Campbell, and Wigo are the four greatest players he coached at Stanford. \u00a0I asked Jack Bowen, Wigo\u2019s teammate at Stanford and on the senior national team, about Wigo.\u00a0 He said: \u00a0\u201cIf I were constructing a team and given first pick of any player in the world who’s ever played the game, I’d pick Wolf. \u00a0Wolf is the most intense competitor I’ve ever known, and, really, the last guy I want to deal with as a goalie because he just finds a way to score, not to mention, will take any beating to\u00a0shut down the other team’s best player.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Eric Lindroth<\/strong> \u2013 LH center, Newport Harbor High School and UCLA (3x NCAA champion, 2x All-American, 2x Olympian and would have been a 3x Olympian if the United States had qualified for the 1976 Olympics, 1x bronze medalist, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Lindroth played for UCLA from 1969 through 1972.\u00a0 UCLA\u2019s 1969 team was undefeated, winning the first NCAA water polo tournament.\u00a0 A member of UCLA\u2019s 1969 coaching staff told me: \u00a0\u201cEric was a \u2018thinking\u2019 player and always exhibited a poker face; he never showed much emotion but you knew he felt in control of any situation in the game.\u201d\u00a0 Bruce Bradley, Lindroth\u2019s teammate on the 1972 Olympic team, discussing Lindroth after his death in June 2019:\u00a0 \u201cEric was the ultimate teammate, another left hander. \u00a0He came out of Newport Harbor High School as CIF Player of the year in 1968 and won several national championships at UCLA under coach Horn. \u00a0He melded into our club team easily and made the ’72 Olympic team right out of college, when the best competition in the U.S. was at the club level. \u00a0Eric was great at both ends of the pool, always in position on \u2018D\u2019 and a prolific scorer in the counter attack, out of the hole, or at \u20186\u2019 in the extra man. \u00a0He led by example, was unselfish, had a rocket arm and was basically a coach’s dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Jody Campbell<\/strong> \u2013 center, Long Beach Wilson High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Olympian, 2x silver medalist, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Campbell was the leading scorer for the United States in the 1988 Olympics with 12 goals.\u00a0 Hall of Fame coach Dante Dettamanti reminiscing about Campbell when he enrolled at Stanford as a freshman:\u00a0 \u201cHe was a skinny kid, about 160 pounds, but he was tough.\u00a0 People remember him as a great shooter, but he was also a great passer.\u00a0 Even in difficult situations, he put the ball right in the shooter\u2019s hand.\u00a0 Campbell was our starting 2-meter player as a freshman and played in the NCAA tournament with a split web between his thumb and forefinger.\u201d \u00a0Hall of Fame coach Monte Nitzkowski speaking about Campbell\u2019s performance during the 1984 Olympics:\u00a0 \u201cWhenever Jody entered the game, the tempo went up.\u00a0 Jody was well regarded for his toughness in the water.\u00a0 He was one of the reasons we never lost at the 1984 Olympics.\u201d\u00a0 Greg Boyer, Campbell\u2019s teammate on the 1988 Olympic team, told me:\u00a0 \u201cJody was an incredible center forward.\u00a0 He had amazing hands and great court vision.\u00a0 Some of his shots and passes were especially creative.\u00a0 While Terry Schroeder used brute force in set, Jody relied on guile and surprise.\u00a0 As a pair they were very formidable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"hallock-nov17\"

Photo Courtesy: Stanford Athletics<\/p><\/div>\n

5. Ben Hallock<\/strong> \u2013 center, Harvard-Westlake and 3 years at Stanford (2x CIF Southern Section Division 1 champion, 2x CIF Southern Section Division 1 Player of the Year, 1x NCAA champion, 3x 1st<\/sup> team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 2x ACWPC Player of the Year, 3x Olympian, 1x bronze medalist).<\/p>\n

Hallock played on the 2016 Olympic team before his freshman year at Stanford, and scored 194 goals in his 3 years at Stanford.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t use his last year of college eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing to play professionally for Pro Recco in Italy.\u00a0 Hallock has had a storied international career, winning 3 LEN Champions League titles, more than any other American.\u00a0 If Hallock continues playing, he will be on the 2028 Olympic team and could move up higher on my list.\u00a0 When his playing career is over, he will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.\u00a0 I asked former Harvard-Westlake and current Stanford coach Brian Flacks about Hallock.\u00a0 His response:\u00a0 \u201cI started coaching Ben when he was just 11 years old, and right from the start, it was clear he was special. \u00a0A couple of things always stood out about him\u2014first, his deep passion for water polo\u2014he absolutely loved the sport. \u00a0I remember coaching his age group, and I\u2019d burn DVDs of games for him. \u00a0Ben would text me late at night after watching the games for the third time, excitedly sharing his favorite highlights or moments, or telling me about the players he liked and wanted to mimic.\u00a0 Second, Ben strikes a unique balance of being incredibly calm and thoughtful, yet also hyper-competitive. \u00a0That blend gave him a maturity and composure from a young age that you rarely see, and allowed him to compete in age groups much older than himself. \u00a0More importantly, what really set him apart was how that composure allowed him to play his best and be the most dependable in the biggest moments and on the biggest stages.\u00a0 When you combine that passion, his commitment, and the fact that he\u2019s a freak athlete, for me it\u2019s hard not to see him as the best American water polo player of all time, and definitely one of the most dominant players our sport has ever seen.\u00a0 Finally, I think he\u2019s exactly what water polo needs as we continue to grow. \u00a0He\u2019s a great student, a Stanford graduate, humble, super thoughtful, and considerate. \u00a0He should be the poster child for the type of person and player we want in our sport.\u00a0 I have no doubt that he\u2019ll succeed in whatever he chooses to do next\u2014as a husband, father, and professional. \u00a0This kid is one of a kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Terry Schroeder<\/strong> \u2013 center, San Marcos High School and Pepperdine (3x All-American, 3x 1st<\/sup> team All-American, 4x Olympian as a player, 2x Olympian as a coach, 2x silver medalist as a player, 1x silver medalist as a coach, 1x FINA World Cup champion as a player, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Schroeder, Pepperdine\u2019s all-time leading scorer with a remarkable 444 goals, is the only American water polo player to win an Olympic medal as a head coach and a player.\u00a0 Schroeder and Kevin Robertson led the United States in scoring in the 1984 Olympics, each scoring 13 goals.\u00a0 I asked Craig Boyer, Schroeder\u2019s teammate on the 1988 Olympic team, about Schroeder.\u00a0 He said:\u00a0 \u201cTerry was the strongest player on the 1988 Olympic team, but his greatest strength was his emotional composure.\u00a0 After a bad call or overly physical foul, he would simply smile and adjust his cap.\u00a0 He usually drew an exclusion or scored a goal the next time he touched the ball.\u201d\u00a0 Jody Campbell, Schroeder\u2019s teammate on the 1984 and 1888 Olympic teams, reminiscing about Schroeder:\u00a0 \u201cTerry served as the face of USA Water Polo for decades and continues to serve that role.\u00a0 Nobody could represent the U.S. with integrity, loyalty and humility like Terry.\u00a0 He was the top 2M in the world for decades, with the style of an unmovable beast and a level-headed demeanor.\u00a0 A defender could hit him with a crowbar and he would just smile.\u00a0 In all the years and hundreds of games Terry played nationally, collegiately and internationally, I only once saw him get mad enough to punch someone and that was me.\u201d\u00a0 Craig Klass, Schroeder\u2019s teammate on the 1988 and 1992 Olympic teams, discussing Schroeder\u2019s reputation in Europe:\u00a0 \u201cSuch a force at 2M and throughout the pool!\u00a0 A dominant anchor for USA water polo internationally for so many years.\u00a0 The Europeans dubbed Schroeder \u201cThe Unsinkable Man,\u201d which pretty much says it all.\u201d\u00a0 An NCAA champion discussing Schroeder\u2019s place in water polo history:\u00a0 \u201cTerry\u2019s statue is at the Coliseum for a reason.\u00a0 I put him above Humbert and Hallock.\u00a0 Terry had a generational impact on the sport in the U.S.\u00a0 I could go on but the man was a piece of granite in the water.\u00a0 A rock-solid foundation for his teams and for our sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Chris Humbert<\/strong> \u2013 6\u20197\u201d LH center, Lodi and Tokay High Schools and Cal (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x ACWPC Player of the Year, 3x Olympian, 2x FINA World Cup champion, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Humbert, the only American male player to win two FINA World Cup championships, is Cal\u2019s all-time leading scorer with 296 goals, scored 37 goals in the Olympics, and usually led his teams in scoring.\u00a0 During Humbert\u2019s four years at Cal, Cal won three NCAA championships, finished second once, and had a won\/loss record of 114 and 9.\u00a0 He won two Italian League championships during his two years with Posillipo; a Greek Cup championship during his two years with Ethnikos Piraeus; and a LEN Super Final, Greek Championship, and Greek Cup championship during his one year with Olympiacos.\u00a0 Rich Corso, Humbert\u2019s coach on the 1996 Olympic team, describing Humbert, \u201cHe\u2019s like a mix between a Shaq and David Robinson because he\u2019s big and strong and also quick.\u201d\u00a0 Humbert was a freakish athlete.\u00a0 Russ Stryker, one of Humbert\u2019s teammates at Cal, told me:\u00a0 \u201cHumbert was probably the greatest athlete to play water polo in the United States.\u00a0 He could have played on the Cal basketball team, would have been a starting pitcher on the baseball team, and could have been a sprinter on the swim team.\u00a0 He was that talented.\u201d\u00a0 Hall of Fame coach Pete Cutino did not see Humbert play water polo before offering him a scholarship to Cal.\u00a0 Instead, he offered Humbert a scholarship after watching him play a high school basketball game.\u00a0 During the recruiting process, Humbert\u2019s mother asked Cutino whether Humbert would receive much playing time if he went to Cal.\u00a0 Cutino answered, \u201cMrs. Humbert, if Jesus Christ were on my bench and the starters were playing well, he wouldn\u2019t get into the game.\u201d\u00a0 In spite of Cutino\u2019s cautionary remarks, Humbert was a 3rd<\/sup> team All-American in his freshman season, a 1st<\/sup> team All-American in his sophomore season, and a 1st<\/sup> team All-American and the Player of the Year in his junior and senior seasons.<\/p>\n

\"Tony-Azevedo-Water\"

Photo Courtesy: 6-8 Sports<\/p><\/div>\n

2. Tony Azevedo<\/strong> \u2013 Long Beach Wilson High School and Stanford (4x California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Division 1 champion, 3x CIF Southern Section Division 1 Player of the Year, 2x NCAA champion, 4x 1st<\/sup> team All-American, 4x Cutino Award winner, 3x ACWPC Player of the Year, 5x Olympian, 1x silver medalist, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

Azevedo, the son of a Hall of Fame coach and the only person to win four Cutino Awards, may be the most highly-decorated American water polo player.\u00a0 He scored 61 goals in the Olympics (the 4th<\/sup> most in Olympic history) and 332 goals at Stanford.\u00a0 He had a long international career, playing for Can Bissolati in Italy, JK Primorac in Montenegro, Fluminense in Brazil, VK Jug in Croatia, and Sesi in Brazil, and is better known internationally than he is in the United States.\u00a0 Hall of Fame coach Dante Dettamanti recruited Azevedo to Stanford and coached him in 2001 when Stanford won the NCAA championship.\u00a0 Dettamanti speaking about Azevedo:\u00a0 \u201cHe’s without a doubt the best player we’ve ever produced in this country and also the best player we ever had at Stanford.\u00a0 The reason Michael Jordan is a great player is the same reason Tony is a great player.\u00a0 He\u2019s a natural leader.\u00a0 In my 32 years as a college coach, I\u2019ve never had an athlete like this.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never had a freshman selected by his teammates as team captain.\u00a0 He\u2019s a lot like Jordan in that if you drop off him, he\u2019ll shoot from outside and if you press him, he\u2019ll drive on you.\u00a0 He can create things on his own.\u00a0 He\u2019s impossible to guard.\u201d\u00a0 Hall of Fame coach John Vargas followed Dettamanti at Stanford, coaching Azevedo for three years in college and on the 2000 Olympic team.\u00a0 Vargas on Azevedo:\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s the best player the United States has had.\u00a0 No one\u2019s done what Tony has done.\u00a0 He knows where everybody is at all times.\u00a0 We\u2019ve seen other guys with the same physical ability, but his knowledge of the game separated him from all the rest.\u00a0 He made all his teammates better.\u201d<\/p>\n

1. Craig Wilson<\/strong> \u2013 6\u20195\u201d LH goalie, Davis High Schol and UCSB for 2 years (1x NCAA champion, 1x All-American, 3x Olympian, 2x silver medalist, 1x FINA World Cup champion, Hall of Fame).<\/p>\n

During my discussions with coaches, players, and fans, I often asked this question: Who is the\u00a0 greatest player of the NCAA era?\u00a0 There is no consensus.\u00a0 Craig Wilson, Tony Azevedo, Chris Humbert, Terry Schroeder, and Ben Hallock all received some support for this distinction.\u00a0 In a very close call, I chose Craig Wilson because he played goalie (the most important position in water polo), was probably more responsible for the success of his teams than any other player, and would be my first choice if we were selecting players for an imaginary round-robin tournament.\u00a0 Wilson, voted the top goalie in the world on two occasions, is generally considered to be one of the top 4 or 5 goalies of all time.\u00a0 He played professionally for three years, two years for CC Ortigia in Italy and one year for CN Barcelona in Spain.\u00a0 Wilson recorded the most saves in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympics.\u00a0 After winning the silver medal in the 1988 Olympics, United States coach Bill Barnett said, \u201cWithout Craig, we would have never gone as far as we did.\u00a0 He was our saving grace.\u201d\u00a0 One of Wilson\u2019s UCSB teammates told me, \u201cWilson is known far better in Europe for being the GOAT than in the United States.\u201d\u00a0 Craig Boyer, another one of Wilson\u2019s UCSB teammates, describing Wilson\u2019s shot-blocking skills:\u00a0 \u201cDuring shooting warmups before games at UCSB, it was not uncommon for Craig to block 100 percent of the team\u2019s shots.\u00a0 The opposing teams noticed this and nobody was confident shooting against him.\u00a0 He also knew my shooting tendencies very well.\u00a0 He would guess where I was going to shoot, and not only block a good shot with two hands, but catch it with a laugh.\u00a0 He often blocked shots that looked like certain goals.\u00a0 Wilson made every good team he was on a great team.\u201d\u00a0 Wilson was also an outstanding passer.\u00a0 Rich Corso, the goalie coach on the 1984 Olympic team, said, \u201cCraig was incredible at getting the ball out fast during the counter-attack.\u00a0 He was aggressive.\u00a0 He was never afraid to throw the long touchdown pass.\u201d\u00a0 Wilson describing one of his greatest Olympic performances:\u00a0 \u201cSometimes the water polo ball looks like a beach ball coming in slowly.\u00a0 Sometimes it looks like a golf ball coming in quickly.\u00a0 That day was a beach ball day.\u201d\u00a0 An NCAA champion told me: \u00a0\u201cWilson stuck with the sport for a very long time and is the reason several of the players on your list made it to the Olympics and competed for medals.\u00a0 You simply cannot win at the highest level without superb goalie play.\u00a0 I played with Wilson for years but never on the national team.\u00a0 My perception based on those years is that Wilson was a fabulous talking goalie\u2014directing the defense in front of him especially on power plays.\u00a0 Wilson could determine which player(s) on an opposing team should be allowed to shoot and in what situation. \u00a0He could pass 30 meters on a dime.\u00a0 Wilson could bait a lob and catch it having already told someone to counter off the top.\u00a0 When Wilson says \u2018the ball is looking like a beach ball today,\u2019 you know the other team is not scoring.\u00a0 I realize Tony Azevedo went to the most Olympics, won the Cutino Award four times, won two NCAA titles, and won a medal.\u00a0 I would still place Wilson first.\u00a0 No Wilson no winning and no medals for many others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Special Note: If I revisit this article after the 2028 Olympics, Ryder Dodd will probably deserve a spot on my list, perhaps in the top 10.<\/p>\n

Ryder Dodd<\/strong> \u2013 attacker, Huntington Beach and JSerra High Schools and UCLA (1x NCAA champion, 1x All-American, 1x 1st<\/sup> team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC Player of the Year, 1x Olympian, 1x bronze medalist).<\/p>\n

Dodd, who just completed his first year at UCLA, played in the 2024 Olympics before entering UCLA.\u00a0 He probably had the greatest true freshman season of any player in the NCAA era.\u00a0 He is expected to be a member of the 2028 Olympic team.\u00a0 Adam Wright, Dodd\u2019s coach at UCLA, speaking in June 2024 after Dodd was named to the 2024 Olympic team:\u00a0 “When we started recruiting Ryder, we laid out an eight-year plan that would position him to be a part of the squad for the 2028 Olympic Games here in Los Angeles.\u00a0 We also listed a short-term goal of him becoming the best player in high school, which he’s done and his high school team winning the CIF Championship, which they did this past season while going undefeated.\u00a0 Over the course of the past year and a half he’s been recognized on the junior national level as one of the best players in his age group in the world and that quickly pushed him to our Senior National Team.\u00a0 Even though we haven’t had the chance to start working with Ryder here at UCLA, the progress that I’ve seen him make over the course of the last year is quite simply special. \u00a0His attacking abilities from both sides of the pool and his speed are truly a problem for opponents.\u00a0 He’s only the second player in our sport to be in high school and go to the Olympic Games before he steps foot on campus here at UCLA.\u00a0 We look forward to helping Ryder develop into one of the best players in the world.”\u00a0 I asked Brett Ormsby, Dodd\u2019s coach at JSerra, what makes Dodd such a special player.\u00a0 His response:\u00a0 \u201cRyder is competitive as hell, fearless, and works harder than anybody.\u00a0 He\u2019s as disruptive on defense as he is dangerous on offense.\u00a0 He\u2019s willing to play within a system and always prioritizes the team and winning over his own production.\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019s incredibly aquatic, born to move in the water, this is probably the most innate part of his game.\u00a0 He continues to grow as a leader and communicator, which is ultimately where I think his biggest impact will be over the course of his career.\u00a0 He is at his best when his best is needed, in the biggest games and the biggest moments and making winning plays.\u00a0 But ultimately, if I had to pick what stands out most, it\u2019s Ryder\u2019s mind.\u00a0 He is so present at all times, always absorbing information, learning and then applying it to his game.\u00a0 And his game just keeps growing at every step.\u00a0 As a coach, I think it\u2019s an awesome lesson for other kids to know that what makes Ryder special isn\u2019t ultimately the talent, the talent sets a baseline for his success, but we\u2019ve seen tons of talented failures.\u00a0 It\u2019s Ryder\u2019s hunger to learn, his desire for feedback, and his constant pursuit of improvement that set him apart in this early stage of his career, and he still has a lot of time and growth in front of him.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Best American Men\u2019s Water Polo Players of the NCAA Era (Part III: No. 1 to No. 10) By Jeff Moulton In the third and final installment of this 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